Nick Palma is another player that has come close, but just missed out on a Borgata Open title. Back in September during the Borgata Poker Open, he finished 2nd in the $1,500 Turbo NLH event, earning $25,448.

Today he had to fight hard for the win. After trading the chip lead back and forth with second-place finisher Rostislav Shetman, Nick was at one point down more than 3:1 in chips. He caught a double-up with deuces, then another with Aces, to take a dominating chip lead. Then it was just a matter of time.

Nick Palma is taking home his first Borgata Poker Open trophy today. He said he was “playing for the trophy” and it meant a lot to him. The New Yorker considers Borgata his “home casino”, so winning here is that much sweeter.

Although the trophy was his goal, he will also take home $98,261 for the win. That’s the largest career cash for this poker player, who has been playing professionally for about two years.

Rostislav Shetman got down to ~15 million and from that point, it was all-in or fold for him.

Rostislav picked up a few chips and got back to 21 million, then shoved from the button. Nick Palma called with {ks}{tc}. Rostislav had {Qc}{9c} and would need help to survive.

The flop came {8c}{6c}{5d}, giving Rostislav a flush draw and gutshot and a lot more outs. The last two missed him, however, as they landed {3h}{6h}.

Nick Palma takes the win and $98,261.

Rostislav Shetman finished in 2nd place, earning $57,800. This is his second 2nd Place finish here at Borgata. Last year during the Fall Poker Open, he took 2nd in the Junkies Poker Open, earning $15,019.

After Rostilav Shetman limped on the button, Nick Palma raised to 3.5 million. Rostislav called to see the flop fall {qs}{qd}{9c}. Nick led out for 4.5 million and Rostislav took a minute, then raised to 14 million. Nick called.

Turn was the {2d} and Nick checked. Rostislav jammed and Nick called all-in for 45.6 million, showing pocket Aces. Rostislav had {jd}{9s} for a pair of 9s. The {jh} gave Rostislav a second pair, but it was not enough to beat Nick’s Aces-up.

Nick doubled up to ~113 million, leaving Rostislav with only ~23 million (< 20 big blinds).

Rostislav Shetman has kept the pressure on Nick Palma during this heads-up match.

In a recent hand, they were looking at a flop of {qh}{8s}{7c} and the action was on Rostislav, but the dealer thought he had checked, so Nick bet 1.8 million. Rostislav said he had not yet acted, but would let the check stand. Then he check-raised and Nick folded.

Then on another hand, Nick opened for 2.7 million and Rostislav raised to 7.5 million. Nick let it go.

Rostislav has chipped up to more than 100 million, leaving Nick with only about 32 million.

On a flop of {9s}{5c}{3d} Rostislav Shetman bet 4 million, Nick Palma raised to 12.5 million, and Rostislav called. Turn was the {kd} and Rostislav checked. Nick fired 10 million. After giving it some thought, Rostislav folded. His stack dropped to ~67 million, giving Nick back the chip lead with ~69 million.

Then Rostislav picked up a couple of pots and moved back into the lead with ~71 million. These two are essentially even at this point, with the lead moving back and forth.

On the last hand of the level, Nick opened for 2.5 million and Rostislav called. The flop fell {5s}{5c}{2d}. Rostislav checked, Nick bet 2 million, and Rostislav called. Turn was the {jd} and again Rostislav checked. Nick fired 4.5 million and after giving it a moment of thought, Rostislav announced he was all-in.

Nick folded. With that pot, Rostislav took a significant chip lead with ~90 million. That left Nick with ~46 million.

They are taking a short break, then they will get back to heads-up play.

After trading small pots (if you can call a pot with a 1 million big blind ‘small’) back and forth, Rostislav Shetman finally picked up something significant.

He accidentally made a string-bet pre-flop and had to settle for a min-raise. Nick Palma called, saying he would have also called the bigger raise. On the flop of {9d}{5s}{2s} Nick checked, Rostislav bet 4.5 million, and Nick called.

Turn was the {8h} and both players checked. River was the {ah}. Nick checked, Rostislav bet 9.5 million and NIck called fairly quickly. Rostislav showed {ac}{4h} for a rivered pair of Aces. Nick mucked his hand and was down to ~65 million.

Michael Matrone (sb) and Nick Palma (bb) got all-in pre-flop. Michael’s {ad}{ks} was looking to improve to beat Nick’s {kh}{kd}, as Nick’s tournament life was at risk. The board came {qc}{ts}{4h}{5s}{7h} and despite flopping a gutshot draw, Michael came up empty. Nick doubled up to 52.7 million. Michael’s stack dropped to about 43 million.

Then Michael got all-in from the button against Nick in the small blind. Michael had {as}{ks} and was facing Nick’s {js}{jd}. The flop came {ad}{8h}{8c} giving Michael the lead with a pair of Aces. The turn was an inconsequential {th}, but the the {Jc} washed up on the river, giving Nick a full house and the pot.

After losing two all-in’s with Big Slick, Michael Matrone finished in 3rd place, earning $36,067. Michael won the $350 Black Chip Bounty NLH event during the 2015 Spring Poker Open, adding more than $40,000 to an already impressive poker resume. This score will push his lifetime earnings over $240,000.

Heads-up play began with Nick holding about 85 million to Rostislav Shetman’s 51 million.

Eric Siegel flopped a broadway draw with ace-king but couldn’t find any help on the turn and river, falling to Nick Palma’s pocket nines in 5th place.

In one of the first hands after dinner break, two massive hands ran into each other and at a short-handed final table, that usually means the chips get in. They did and the action was picked up with Eric Siegel opening in early position and Nick Palma three-betting to 5,500,000.

The rest of the table folded and Siegel immediately four-bet shoved for just over 14,000,000. Palma called and it was a flip for Siegel’s tournament life, as he held {Ad}{Kh} to Palma’s {9s}{9d}. Both players flopped a straight draw, as the {Jc}{10d}{8h} gave Palma up and down outs and Siegel gut-shot outs to broadway.

The {8d} didn’t change anything and the {4s} completed the board and sealed Siegel’s fate as the fourth place finisher. He’ll make just over $25,000 while Palma, is now playing just over 40,000,000.